Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C133 pt1

Ji Yang felt his idea was excellent, yet she showed no sign of joy.

"Could it be that you are unwilling?" He narrowed his eyes. "Or are you unwilling to divorce that Zhao Jianzhi?"

Seeing his expression was off, Wushuang quickly said, "This concubine is not unwilling, it's just a little... a little too sudden."

"You even want to bear children for this Prince, yet you find it sudden? In this Prince's view, you are simply unwilling to part with that Zhao Jianzhi. Back then, you broke off your engagement with this Prince precisely because your heart was set on that Zhao Jianzhi. Do you still harbor feelings for him now?"

One of his sword-like eyebrows was slightly raised, while the other brow bone was pressed low. A hint of a smile lingered at the corner of his lips, yet the corners of his eyes were tinged with red, his gaze carrying a touch of ferocity.

She felt her hackles rise, as if transported back to their first encounter.

Seeing that he was clear-headed and not irrational, she felt somewhat aggrieved. Why did he suddenly become angry again? Yet, not daring to provoke him further, she could only say, "I do not harbor feelings for him," and then burst into tears.

It was the kind of silent weeping. Ji Yang's mind wandered aimlessly before he finally realized it.

"Why are you crying? This Emperor hasn't done anything to you."

Noticing his softened tone, she grew much bolder, turning her back to him as she lay down to sleep.

Seeing her rare display of stubbornness, Ji Yang couldn't help but wonder if he had truly been too harsh just now. But the thought of her harboring feelings for that Zhao Jianzhi made the fire in his heart blaze anew.

Originally wanting to coax her, he no longer felt like it, lying there stewing in silent anger.

This was their first time sharing a bed, yet they slept so far apart.

In truth, Ji Yang had already regretted it later on, but he couldn't bring himself to lower his pride. Seeing her sleeping soundly with her back to him, he felt both angry and annoyed, wanting to pull her over and beat her, yet unwilling to do so, he could only bully her in other ways.

In reality, Wushuang hadn't fallen asleep at all. Seeing him bullying her like that, she was determined to contend with him.

And so, the two contended throughout the night, finally falling into a deep sleep close to the third watch (11 PM-1 AM).

Afterward, their days of what could hardly be called a quarrel, nor quite a sulk, where she was summoned to the palace every few days, and on the days she wasn't summoned, he would come to find her at night, lasted for over half a month.

In the end, Wushuang couldn't quite explain how they reconciled; they simply gradually made up.

He no longer mentioned letting her divorce and enter the palace, but even though he didn't bring it up, Wushuang couldn't help but think about it. Yet, every time she thought of broaching the subject of divorce with Zhao Jianzhi, she always hesitated.

She truly didn't know how to open this mouth.

Initially, because of her mistakes, he had no choice but to marry her. Later, she suffered cold treatment in the Zhao family, and she felt it was retribution for her actions. Still later, Chen shi brought her into the palace, forcing her to serve the Emperor as the wife of a subject.

At this point, she felt that her debt was cleared.

But she could never equate the Zhao family with him. It wasn't that she still harbored feelings for him, but rather that she still remembered the angry face he wore when he was forced to marry her.

It was she who started it, so it should be him who ends it.

With this tangled and complicated feeling, Mei Wushuang had been preoccupied lately.

This day, Wushuang entered the palace.

Seeing the palanquin approaching from afar, those palace servants who could avoid it had already done so, and those who couldn't avoid it immediately knelt on the ground.

Wushuang sat in the carriage, sitting high, naturally seeing far, and saw an old woman with the appearance of a flickering candle walking on the empty palace road.

She could only see her appearance from afar, and only saw her appearance when she got closer.

The other party's hair was white and her skin was white, but she wore a dark cyan palace dress. That kind of skin color was an extremely abnormal skin color, so white that it was a little creepy, but because she was too old, it was covered with age spots and layers of wrinkles.

By the time the carriage approached, Wushuang had already involuntarily gripped Linglong's hand tightly.

The old woman seemed to feel someone was looking at her, turned her head to look at the carriage window, and met Wushuang's eyes in the air.

What kind of look was that?

It was full of turbid stillness, like a stagnant pool covered with duckweed, but a trace of sharp malice emerged from the cracks, like an old monster eating people in ghost stories.

Wushuang's hair stood on end, and Linglong hurriedly said, "Madam, don't be afraid. That is Consort Dowager Hu, a concubine of Emperor Xuanzong, His Majesty's grandfather."

It wasn't until the carriage passed that Wushuang found her voice.

"Why does she look like that?"

"She is the oldest concubine in the palace, having lived through three reigns. It is said that she has a strange temper. She was ill a few years ago, and since that illness, she has not gone out again. It is probably because she is old and has not seen the sun for many years that she has become like this."

That night, Wushuang had a dream in which she was eaten by the old monster transformed from Consort Dowager Hu.

She was both frightened and alarmed, and inexplicably felt a sense of sorrow and grief. She was drenched in this sorrow and grief in her dream, and began to weep, her cries so mournful that they startled Ji Yang awake.

"What's wrong?"

Wushuang was still half-asleep, instinctively burrowing into his embrace.

No matter how he coaxed, he couldn't soothe her. She cried for quite a while before she finally woke up completely.

"What on earth is wrong?"

"I had a dream, and in it, I was eaten by a monster."

Sniffling, she recounted her encounter with Consort Dowager Hu during the day.

Ji Yang teased her, "You truly have the courage of a rabbit. A living person could scare you so much that you have nightmares."

Wushuang also felt somewhat ashamed at this point, burying herself in his arms without a word.

"Alright, it's nothing. Go back to sleep."

She gradually drifted off to sleep, but Ji Yang recalled the time they had been at odds a few days prior, when she had also woken up crying in the middle of the night.

Since she found it difficult to speak, why should he force her? It would be better to let the Zhao family speak. Surely, this matter wouldn't be entirely without a solution.

Hearing that His Majesty had summoned him for an audience, Zhao Rui was filled with trepidation.

He discussed it with his eldest son for an entire night, but they couldn't come to a conclusion. The next day, Zhao Rui bit the bullet and went to see Emperor Qianwu.

After he left, the entire Zhao family was on tenterhooks, trembling with fear.

Zhao Rui returned quickly and revealed the purpose of His Majesty's summons.

Although His Majesty didn't say it explicitly, the meaning was clear: he wanted Zhao Jianzhi and Mei shi to divorce.

As compensation, he would allow the Zhao family to relinquish their title and return to their ancestral home with the plaque of founding merit. The peerage would not be stripped away entirely, but rather reduced to a Marquisate. The hereditary perpetuity would be revoked, only allowing it to be passed down for three generations.

This news was both good and bad.

Returning to their hometown was what the Zhao family had always hoped for. Having offended the current Emperor, returning home was better than remaining under his watchful eye. However, the demotion of their peerage, from Duke to Marquis, and the revocation of hereditary perpetuity to a diminishing title, was distressing.

But circumstances were stronger than people. Being able to preserve their lives, rather than being subjected to the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their clan, could be considered a stroke of heavenly luck. Although the peerage could only be passed down for three generations, perhaps a promising descendant would be able to restore the glory of their ancestors within those three generations?

The Zhao family was filled with mixed joy and sorrow, their feelings beyond description.

Next would be the matter of divorcing Mei shi, and this required Zhao Jianzhi's approval.

Zhao Rui and Zhao Jianqi, father and son, then called Zhao Jianzhi over and recounted the entire story to him.

After listening, Zhao Jianzhi fell into a long silence.

Zhao Rui and Zhao Jianqi were also aware of how much their son/younger brother had been burdened with lately, and couldn't bear to urge him.

After a long while, Zhao Jianzhi finally said, "I understand this matter and will find time to speak with her."

Zhao Rui hesitated for a moment, then said, "His Majesty said, as soon as possible."

In truth, Zhao Rui was very clear that a large part of being able to achieve such a relatively unscathed outcome was thanks to his second daughter-in-law.

Why did His Majesty want Mei shi to divorce? The answer was obvious.

Why such urgency? Perhaps there was a reason that demanded haste.

Regardless of the reason, he was clear that Mei shi had a promising future, and his son could not and should not have any further involvement with her. It was best to sever ties early, lest His Majesty change his mind.

"I will go find her this afternoon," Zhao Jianzhi said after thinking for a moment.

Why not now?

Zhao Rui was about to speak, but Zhao Jianqi quickly shook his head at him, and so the matter was settled.

After Zhao Jianzhi left, Zhao Jianqi said, "Father, don't push him so hard; you must give Second Brother some time."

***

After Zhao Jianzhi returned, he locked himself in Fufeng Pavilion.

It wasn't until the afternoon that he opened the door under the worried gaze of Mozhu, only to receive the news that his Madam had entered the palace.

On the other side, Wushuang was dragged into absurdity for an entire afternoon.

Every time he brought her into the palace during the day, it was never for anything good; he wouldn't be satisfied until he had exhausted her.

By the time it was over, night had already fallen.

After they had finished their evening meal, he had her escorted out of the palace. As such occurrences were not unprecedented, Mei Wushuang did not dwell on it.

Furthermore, she had met with the Empress earlier that day, who had broached the subject of bearing children with bluntness, even stating that His Majesty had already agreed. She added that once Wushuang bore a son, he would be instated as the Crown Prince, and then invoked the Mei family's nurturing grace. Mei Wushuang felt vexed and desired some solitude.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Jianzhi was still waiting for her so late, claiming to have matters to discuss with her.

***

Mei Wushuang sipped her tea, listening to Zhao Jianzhi's discourse while preoccupied with her own thoughts.

Regarding Zhao Jianzhi's proposal for separation, she was both surprised and unsurprised. She suspected that Ji Yang must have orchestrated something, otherwise, he would not have sent her back only for her to encounter Zhao Jianzhi discussing their separation.

"Since you have decided, then let it be so."

As she spoke these words, she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

She found herself rather hypocritical; it seemed that his voicing the idea of separation absolved her of everything, as if she were being reborn.

But regardless, this was a good thing.

Her words elicited no response. Mei Wushuang raised her eyes in surprise, noticing a hint of discomposure and pain on Zhao Jianzhi's face.

"Madam, you should retire for the night," Linglong interjected suddenly.

Mei Wushuang, who had intended to say something, naturally swallowed her words.

Zhao Jianzhi stood up and walked towards the outside.

After a few steps, he turned his head as if to say something, at which point Little Quanzi came forward, gesturing to escort him away.

He offered a wry smile and left with his head lowered.

Mei Wushuang watched his figure gradually disappear, and in that moment, she contemplated many things.

She thought of her girlhood, of her past self, timid and fearful, of how she had once regarded him as a lifeline, only to hurt both him and herself…

She leaned back, slowly reflecting on her life thus far, seemingly thinking of much, yet perhaps of nothing at all. However, she knew that from this point forward, she would embark on a new life.

Perhaps there would be many worries, many setbacks and anxieties in the future, but at least she would live with a clear conscience.

I wish you peace and happiness in the future, and the same to myself.